A FAILED Parliamentary campaign to restrict women's right to abortion split MPs in the south, an analysis of Commons votes has revealed.

Last night, politicians voted to retain the 24-week upper limit for abortion by blocking a series of attempts to reduce the current limit to 12, 16, 20 and 22 weeks.

Details of MPs' voting patterns, published by the Commons authorities today show that four of the ten MPs in south Hampshire and the Isle of Wight backed an amendment to reduce the upper limit to 22 weeks.

Three of them - Mark Hoban (Fareham), Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) and Andrew Turner (Isle of Wight) - also supported a measure to ban abortion after 12 weeks.

But the House of Commons rejected every attempt to change the law. The closest vote was over the proposed cut to 22 weeks, which was defeated by 304 votes to 233.

Supporting the status quo were five Hampshire MPs - Labour's John Denham (Southampton Itchen) and Alan Whitehead (Southampton Test), Liberal Democrats Sandra Gidley (Romsey) and Chris Huhne (Eastleigh) and Tory MP for Gosport Peter Viggers. Winchester MP Mark Oaten did not vote.

Last night's votes, on amendments to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, were the first opportunity for for MPs to vote on abortion since 1990, when the upper limit was reduced from 28 weeks. MPs of all major parties were given a free vote so they could follow their conscience rather than a party whip.

,HOW SOUTH MPs VOTED ON MOVE TO 22-WEEK LIMIT

John Denham (Lab: Southampton Itchen) AGAINST

Sandra Gidley (Lib Dem: Romsey) AGAINST

Mark Hoban (Con: Fareham) FOR

Chris Huhne (Lib Dem: Eastleigh) AGAINST

Julian Lewis (Con: New Forest East) FOR

Mark Oaten (Lib Dem: Winchester) DID NOT VOTE

Desmond Swayne (Con: New Forest West) FOR

Andrew Turner (Con: Isle of Wight) FOR

Peter Viggers (Con: Gosport) AGAINST

Alan Whitehead (Lab: Southampton Test) AGAINST